Liverpool manager Arne Slot has described the current campaign as the toughest of his managerial career, admitting that his side are falling short of the club’s high standards following their latest setback.
The Reds’ 3–2 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday left reigning Premier League champions sixth on the table, four points behind fifth-placed Chelsea. Liverpool are level on points with seventh-placed Brentford and would have fallen below them on goal difference had Rayan Cherki’s late third goal for City not been disallowed.
Slot, who replaced Jurgen Klopp in June 2024, celebrated a remarkable debut season by leading Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th top-flight title. However, the club has struggled this term despite spending close to £450 million on new signings during the summer, including a British record £125 million deal for striker Alexander Isak.
So far in the 2025–26 Premier League season, Liverpool have won 11 matches, drawn six, and lost eight.
Asked by BBC Sport whether this was his toughest season, Slot replied: “By a mile. All the other seasons I have managed, there was only positives. I don’t think I have ever lost two games in a row until now. It’s an exception for me; I am not used to it. I don’t think we feel we’ve only lost two of our last 17. A draw feels like a loss. The players know what the standards of Liverpool mean and we aren’t performing to those standards. They feel that disappointment.”
With five Premier League clubs expected to qualify for next season’s Champions League, Slot emphasised the importance of a top-five finish, warning that missing out on Europe’s elite competition would make the season unacceptable.
“If we don’t have Champions League football next season, it’s definitely not been an acceptable season,” he said, noting the significant impact qualification has on the club’s operations.
Liverpool travel to face Sunderland on Wednesday night, with the hosts unbeaten at home. Slot faces selection challenges at right-back, with Dominik Szoboszlai suspended and several defenders, including Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong, and Joe Gomez, sidelined by injury. Striker Alexander Isak and centre-back Giovanni Leoni are also long-term absentees.
Despite the difficulties, Slot insisted there is still hope for a strong finish. “There’s still a possibility we can do something special this season,” he said.
